Plumber&#39;s tool



H. C. BENNY PLUMBERS TOOL Jan. 29, 1957 Filed Aug. 11, 1954 WM WNW; WNW/W 6 M? Y B :0 Mmmmnn 26 I I. M

fig 7 PLUMBERS TOOL Henry C. Benny, Hartford, Conn.

Application August 11, 1954, Serial No. 449,172

2 Claims. (Cl. 15104.09)

This invention relates to a plumbers tool and, more specifically, to a manually operable tool for cleaning the interior surfaces adjacent the end of a pipe or for cleaning the interior surfaces of a pipe coupling or other device adapted for attachment to a pipe.

The coupling between a section of pipe and another pipe section or the coupling between a pipe and a fitting or fixture in the use of copper plumbing is not ordinarily effected by threaded connection. It is the general practice to provide a soldered connection between such elements of copper plumbing. In order to effect a leakproof and otherwise satisfactory soldered connection, it is necessary that all of the engaging surfaces be cleaned of oxide and foreign matter such as dirt or the like.

So far as I am aware, there has not been provided a satisfactory tool for cleaning the interior surfaces of a pipe or the like and it is ordinarily necessary for the plumber to clean such interior surfaces by hand, using steel wool or the like as best he can. Such a method of cleaning an interior surface is time consuming and generally unsatisfactory.

It is an object of this invention to provide an easily operable and sturdy tool for cleaning the interior surfaces of a pipe or for cleaning the interior surfaces of a pipe coupling, fitting, or other plumbing fixture.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the annexed drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the preferred embodiment of the cleaning tool;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken in a horizontal plane as indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 to illustrate a detail of construction without showing the cleaning pack P.

A cleaning tool constructed in accordance with my invention may be described generally as comprising a sleeve which slidably receives within its bore a second tubular member or rod which projects or extends beyond one open end of the said sleeve. An abrasive cleaning pack is disposed between the projecting end of the rod and the adjacent end of the sleeve and is adapted to be inserted within the open end of the pipe or other device to be cleaned. Means are provided to radially expand the pack into engagement with the interior surfaces of the pipe or other device when the rod is retracted with respect to the sleeve. Manually operable means are provided for retracting the said rod and the entire tool is provided in a form and of such size as can conveniently be held and operated in one hand of the plumber or other operator.

In the accompanying drawing, the sleeve is designated by the reference numeral and has one flanged end 12 through which the rod 14 projects. The other end of the sleeve 10 is closed by a parti-spherical cap 16 which may either be welded in place over said other end of the tube 10 or may be detachably secured to the sleeve in any known way. A cleat or fin-like appendage 18 is provided on the front or outer face of the flanged end 12 of the tube 10 for a purpose which will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

As shown in the drawing, the rod 14 is provided to snugly but slidably fit within the bore of the sleeve 10 in telescopic fashion. The outer or projecting end 20 of the rod 14 is flanged radially outwardly and on the inner face of the said flanged edge a cleat or fin-like projection 22, generally similar to the projection 18 on the flange 12, is provided for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

As previously mentioned, the rod 14 is slidable within the sleeve 10. In accordance with the present invention, the said rod is biased outwardly i. e., the rod is biased so that the end 20 will project from the open end of the outer tube 10. While the rod may be biased in various other ways, I have found it most convenient to provide a cross piece extending transversely of the rod 14 and through suitable slots provided in the sleeve 10 for the engagement by one end of a helically coiled spring 24 which surrounds the sleeve 10 and is seated under compression within the parti-spherical cap 16. The cross piece referred to above comprises one pin 26 having a reduced diameter threaded end 28 which extends through diametrically oppositely located longitudinally extending slots 30, 30 in the outer tube or sleeve 10 and which also projects through a suitable transverse opening provided in the rod 14. The projecting threaded end 2% of the pin 26 is received and threaded within a suitable tapped opening extending longitudinally in one end of a pin 32 which is. generally similar to the pin 26 but which projects on the other side of the sleeve 16. A spring seat 34 slidably embraces the sleeve 10 to receive one end of the spring 24.

It will be quite apparent that if the tool is provided in proper size, it can be held in one hand with the partispherical cap 16 in the palm of the hand and with the operators fingers of the same hand engaging the oppositely extending pins 26 and 32 which provide a handle for retracting the rod 14 with respect to the sleeve lit. The aforesaid retraction is, of course, accomplished by moving the handle provided by the pins 26 and 32 with in the diametrically opposed slots 30, 30 in opposition to the force of the spring 24.

A cleaning pack P which, by preference, comprises an elongated web of steel wool wound around the rod 14 is located on the extending end of the rod between its flange 20 and the flange 12 on the end of the sleeve 16. When the rod is retracted in the aforedescribed fashion, the cleaning pack P will be axially compressed but will expand radially. Accordingly, in use of the tool the projecting end of the rod is inserted within the open end of a pipe coupling or the like which is designated by the letter C and then the said rod is retracted against the force of the coiled spring 24'. In so doing the radially extending pack P will engage the inner surface of the coupling C so that the tool and coupling can be rotated relative to each other to effect a cleaning of said inner or interior surface.

After the cleaning has been accomplished, the handle pins 26 and 32 are released by the operators fingers and the inner rod will be biased forwardly by the spring 24 to re-assume the position shown in Fig. 1. When the inner rod or tube is biased forwardly, the cleaning pack P is no longer axially compressed and, due to its inherent resiliency, the said pack will substantially re-assume its normal shape and configuration as shown in Fig. 1.

It is important to observe that in placing or winding the pack P on the projecting end of the rod 14, the said pack is wound over the cleats or fins 18 and 22 on the flanges 12 and 20, respectively. The said cleats or fins are thereby embedded within the pack P to assure that the pack P is rotated within the pipe coupling while rela- Patented Jan. 29, 1957 tive rotation is efiectedbetween the said pipe coupling and the plumbers cleaning tool. The said cleats or fins are provided specifically for the purpose of preventing relative rotation between the said cleaning tool and the pack. This feature assures that the pack will be used to best advantage in cleaning the interior surface or bore of the pipe coupling C or other article.

hile the invention has been described with reference to one specific and presently preferred embodiment, it should be understood that it is not the intent to limit the invention to the said one embodiment otherwise than indicated by the claims which follow.

The invention claimed is:

1. A plumbers tool for cleaning the interior surfaces of a pipe coupling or the'like and comprising in combination, a sleeve having a radially outwardly projecting flange on one end and having two oppositely located longitudinal slots adjacent the said one end, a cap closing the other end of the said sleeve, a rod slidable within the sleeve and projecting from the said one end thereof which projecting end of the rod is provided with a radially outwardly projecting flange, an abrasive pack supported on the said rod between its flange and the said flange on the one end of the sleeve whereby the abrasive pack can be inserted within a pipe coupling in spaced relationship to the interior surfaces thereof, a handle secured to the said rod and projecting through the slots in the said sleeve for retracting the said rod relative to the sleeve to thereby compress the abrasive pack between the said flanges and to expand the said pack radially outwardly into engagement with the interior surfaces of the pipe coupling, and a spring seated Within said cap and engaging the said handle and normally biasing the projecting end of the rod outwardly with respect to the sleeve.

2. A plumbers tool for cleaning the interior surfaces of a pipe coupling or the like and comprising in combination, a sleeve of no greater length than can conveniently be held in one hand with one end of the sleeve near the fingertips and the other end of the sleeve in the palm, which sleeve has a radially outwardly projecting flange on said one end and which also has two opposite longitudinal slots adjacent the said one end, a rounded cap closing the other end of the sleeve and adapted to be held within the palm of the hand, a rod slidable within the sleeve and projecting from the said one end thereof which projecting end of the rod is provided with a radially outwardly projecting flange, a steel wool pack supported on the rod between its flange and the flange on the one end of the sleeve, means on each of said flanges engaging within the pack to prevent rotation thereof relative to the rod, a handle connected to the rod and extending through the longitudinal slots in the sleeve for retracting the rod relative to the sleeve to radially expand the pack .for engagement with the interior surfaces of a pipe coupling or the like, and a spring seated Within said cap and engaging said handle and normally biasing the projecting end of said rod outwardly with respect to the said sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,052,871 Wildau Feb. 11, 1913 1,738,601 Metzger Dec. 10, 1929 1,838,139 Brockman Dec. 29, 1931 2,190,216 Nauziato Feb. 13, 1940 2,469,586 Wallace May 10, 1949 

